Spring compressor



March 4, 1930. R. B. LAW Er AL 1,749,591

SPRING COMPRESSOR A Filed Deo. 16. 1927 GPPERNVENUR.

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' ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 4, 1930 PATENT OFFICE RAY'B. LAW AND rosnrnns A. cLAPPnR, or MUscATINE, IowA ,SPRING COMPRESSOR Application led December i116, 1927. Serial No. 240,470.

. This invention relates to a device .for com-v pressing springs and, while the same is def signedl primarily 'for use 1n releasing pms yand similar structuresl used in lconnection I with yvalve stems of automobile engines, it

will be understood that the same isuseful for other purposes as well and it is therefore not intended to be -restricted to any speciic use.

Among the objects of this invention are to` make a more easily operable device of the character indicated; to provide. ark device which will automatically lock theA partsl 1n any desired position; to provide Aaidevice of the character indicated which can easily be unlocked and released for movement' in a v direction opposite to the compressing moveunent;` to provide a device ofthe character in dicated Whichcan not lock-in `completely f actuated position so as to be incapable of being unlocked; to' provide av simple easily v adjustable device capable of being used upon anystyle of automobile, regardless ofthe natural obstructions which may exist within 2.5the hood of the car; and `such further ob-` jects, advantages andcapabilities as will hereafter appear and as are inherent inthe Infthe drawing annexed hereto and form-V.

ing a part hereof Fig. 1 is a view in eleva tion of one formV of our construction, with a portion of an enginevalve, fand springy shown in dotted outline; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view showing operativeelements in a different position; Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially along ythe plane yshown bythe broken line 3-3, Fig. 1'; Fig.

i is a transverse view taken thru the lower f right hand portion ofFig. 1 to show the `.internal form of the head for engaging the .50,1 springrcup used in connection withr the ycoil,

spring vfor seatingan engine valve; Figs. 5 and 6 are, respectively, end and side views of a different style of operating cam from that shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing a modified form of spring for actuating the operating lever. Referring more in detail to this drawing, thenumeral l denotes a body member having a split head 2 to straddle the valve stem 3 and engage underneath the valve spring cup 4 to compress the valve springfS and lift the cup out of the way and permit the pinv 5 to be removed from the shank or stem 3 of the valve 6. Inasmuch as some automobiles have different spring cup retaining means than a pin, such as a U shaped yoke which is slipped into 'a groove in the valve stem or a split washer applied in a similar way, we shall, in the appended claims, refer to this as a spring cup retaining means.' The head 2 may be secured kto the body l by any suitable detachable means 7 or may be formed integral therewith orvpermanently secured thereto, if desired. We prefer to attach this head detachablyy to the body member and therefore show bolts for this purpose.v It is preferred tohave the jaws of the head adjustabletoyfard and from each other by means of a bolt and wing nut 8, the purpose being to adjust the jaws 9 of the heady to litA diiferent sizes of spring cup 4. Any suitable handle H may be provided on the body member 1, the same being shown in the present instance as a projection extending directly outwardly in the plane of the tool. In one form of our construction this handle is a loop formed in- Vtegral with the body member 1 and extending in the plane thereof, its two ends being continuous with the body member l and the handle being in the form of a loop to furnish a handhold for easily handling the tool in operation. kAny suitable handle may be provided.

A. bracket arm 10 has slideable connection with the body l and is secured in vertically adjusted position thereon by means of the set-screw 11, provided with a wing nut or any equivalent device. The bracketk 10 is made adjustable in order'that this device may be used .in connectiony with springs of v the same upwardly so as to permit the roller- `to become wedged between the faces of thev y' in Figs. 1, 2 and 8. The balance between theV different lengths or valves having stems of di'erent lengths. A lever 12 is pivoted at 18 on the arm or bracket 10 and is actuated around its pivot in one direction by means of the spring 14. rlwo different types of springs are shown in Figs. 1 and 7, the spring 14a shown in Fig. `7, being preferred because cheaper to make and install than that shown in Fig. 1. It is also just as efficient as the spring 14. The short end of this lever is provided with ak geared sector 15 which engages the teeth of the gear 16 rotatably mounted upon the bracket 10 by the pin 17, which may be screw-threaded or secured in. any other convenient manner to the bracket arm 10.

The arm 10 is provided at its free end with a hollow head 18 thru. which slides the plunger 19. pointed at its lower end', as indicated at. 20,.to engage the Lvalve 6 as shown in Fig. 1..

the same' upwardly. The locking memberor roller 24- engages the plunger 25 and forces head 18 and plunger`19', defining the wedgeshaped channel, to thereby lock the plunger 1-9 in any adjusted position. Between -the plunger 25 and a cooperating plunger 26 is aA spring 27 which transmits motion from one to the other of the two plungers and allows relative movement between thosepplungers when necessary. o

A rotatable eccentric cam :28vf operated by means ofa handle 29 servesto move the plunger 26' downwardly in the head18f or to permit it to rise` therein a certain amount.

In Figs. 5 and 6 is shown a modified formof cam designated by numeral 28a, the sameV being provided with a handle 29a which it is preferred to form'y integral with the cam,y

This construction is'preferred to that shown springs 28y and 27 lissucli that, when the crank 29 is turned to permit the plunger 26 to rise,V`

the plunger- 25 will also be permitted to rise and the roller 24 will yengage the Vrelatively inclined surfaces and lock the plunger 19in plunger 26 will be shoved downwardly, in-

creasing the tension on thespring 27 and thereby overcoming the resistance of the springs 28, thus removing. the roller 24 out of locking position, as soon as the same is released by actuation of the handle. A'small notch 8O is provided in the edgezof the plunger' 19 to permit the device to be vunlocked when the plunger 19 is fully extended in operation;

It has been found in" actual practice that without this notch there was a tendency for the roller to become so thoroughly wedged` between the relatively inclined faces that itY was impossible to release the saine from locked position' when the cam 28 was turned about its aXis. However, the notch 8O entirely eliminates this, the notch being so placed that the handle can be moved downwardly slightly for unlocking purposes, when the cam is turned.y Stops 81 are provided on the head 18 to limit the turning movement ofthe cam 28 or 28a.

Various modifications within the scope of thisinvention are possible. For example the tapering compartment 22 may be formed en# tirely :in the head 18 or the compressing lmeinber 19er partly in each. rIhe notch or depression 80 may beformed in the head 18 or in one of the faces of the plunger 19.

lVhile we have disclosed what is now conisidered the preferred form of construction of this device and certain modifications thereof, it isof course yunderstood that the specific de-` scription of structure set 4forth above may be departed from without departing from the spirit of this invention asset forth in this specificationv and the rappended claims.`

I-Iavingnow described our invention,

' We claim: Y f

1. In aspring compressor of the character compressed and an element having teeth thereon and movable with respect to the frame to cause compression yof the spring; operating means toactuate theinovable eleL ment, comprising a gear pivotally mounted upon the vframeyand having its teeth in mesh with the teeth on said movable element, a

lever pivotedon'the frame andcarryingat one end a segmental gear to engage the aforethereon, a plunger slideable therein, said y plunger having gearY teeth for engagement plunger to lock it in position to hold a spring compressed, and resilient means tending to 'withdraw the plunger tot inoperative posi tion. l f l8. In a spring compressor of the char-y acter indicated, asu'pporting arm, a hollow head thereon', a slideableplunger movable with relationthereto, means within the head for locking the plunger-against spring comfl pression releasing movement, and means part-ly within the hea-d to Vrenoler the lockingv means ineffective. V

4. In aspring compressor, a supporting frame, an open head on the frame, a toothed' plunger slideable thru the opening inthe rbyV a toothed actuating member, an actuating l 'member on the arm transmitting actuating 'force to said plunger, means'engaging the head, a springpressed locking element in the openingv to engage and lock the plunger in,V

, a hole extending therethru, a toothed reciprocable member movable thru the hole, a

klocking member in the hole adapted to lock the toothed member in any desired position of adjustment, opposing springs acting upon said locking member biasing it in opposite directions, and adjustable means for determining the normal position of rest under the combined influence of said springs.

6. In a spring Compressor, a head carrying a longitudinally reciprocable compressing member, means for actuating said member, and means for locking said member against movement in one direction or permitting it to move When desired, said locking means including a rolling member traveling in a tapering opening in the head,.in contact With the compressing member, and resilient means tending to force the rolling member into locking position.

7. In a spring compressor', a head carrying a longitudinally reciprocable compressing member," `means for actuatingy said' member, and means for locking said member against movement in one direction or permitting it to move When desired, said locking means including a rolling member traveling in a tapering opening in the head, in contact with the compressing member, and resilient means biasing the rolling member in opposite directions toward locking and unlocking positions. y

y 8. In a spring compressor, a head carryingv a longitudinally reciprocable Acompressing member,means for actuating said member, means for locking said member against movement in one direction or permitting it to move When desired, said locking means `including a rolling memberv traveling in atapering opening in the head, in contact with ,they compressing member, resilient means biasing the rollingk member inyopposite directions toward locking and unlocking positions and means for increasing or decreasing the compression of the resilient means.l

9. In a spring compressor, a head carrying a klongitudinally reciprocable compressing member, means for actuating said member,l means for locking said member yagainst movement in one direction or permitting itV to move When desired, said locking means including a rolling member traveling in a tapering opening in the head, in contact With vthe compressing member, resilient means biasing the rolling member in opposite'directions toward locking and unlocking positions and means for increasing or decreasing` the compression of the resilient means,

f locking and unlocking said device being provided with a depression to permit unlockingthereof when in a fully actuated position.

10. In a spring compressor, a head carrying a longitudinally reciprocable compressing member, meansv Jiior actuating said member, means for locking said member against movement in one direction or permitting it to move when desired, said locking means including a rolling member traveling in a tapering opening in the head, in contact With-the compressing member, resilient means biasing the rolling member in opposite directions toward *locking and unlocking positions and means for increasing or decreasing the compression of the resilient means, said compressing member yhaving a depression in the face engaged by the rolling member approximately at the point Where said rolling member Will be when complete compressing actuation has taken place. f

711. In a spring compressor, a head carrying a longitudinally reciprocable compressing member, means for actuating said member, means :tor locking said member against movement in one direction or permitting it to move When desired, said locking means including a rolling member traveling in a tapering opening in the head, in contact With the oompressing member and eccentric means for releasing the locking means.

12. In a spring compressor, a head carrying a longitudinally reciprocable compressing member, means for actuating said member, means for locking said member against movement in one direction or permitting it to move When desired, said locking means including a rolling member traveling in a tapering opening in the head, in contact with the compressing member, resilient means biasing the rolling member in opposite directions toward ositions and cam means for increasing or ecreasing the compression of the resilient means.

13. In a spring compressor, a head carrying a longitudinally reciprocable compressing member, meansv for actuating said member having gear teeth along one face and a depression in another face, means cooperating With the gear teeth to reciprocate the compressing member, the face of the compressing member having the depression an-d the adjacent face of the head cooperating to define a tapered aperture, a substantially cylindrical locking member in said aperture, resilient means to causefmovement of the locking member, and means to predetermine Whether said locking member shall or shall not serve to retain the compressing member in actuated position. i

14. In a spring compressor for use in removing the spring cup retaining means of an automobile engine, a frame having arms eX- tending at an angle to each other, one of the arms having an opening in the end thereof to'engage the springcup7 the other arm hav- .ing a bracket adjustably mounted thereon for longitudinal movement thereof, said bracket having at its reeY end an aperture r.extending transversely thereof Vvtoward the opening in the end,v of the arm, a reciprocable member in theaperture movabletoward and awayfrom said arm, spring actuated locking `meansin the bracket to engage Ythe reciprocable member in its movement thru the brack-V etV and prevent it from being Withdrawn from. actuated position, 'said locking means being capable or' being actuated to permit thereciprocable member to move Without restraint in either direction7 means to actuate the reciprocablemember iny either direction, and means whereby thesprlng actuated'locklng means may be caused to be biased towardlocking or unlocking position. r In Witness Whereoi, We hereuntc.) subscribe our names to this specification.

- RAY B. LAW.

JosEPHUs it CLAPPER.

VVco 

